Creator of Yoon-Suin and other materials. Propounding my half-baked ideas on role playing games. Jotting down and elaborating on ideas for campaigns, missions and adventures. Talking about general industry-related matters. Putting a new twist on gaming.

Tuesday, 5 June 2018

Random Mythical Wizards in 7th Century Northern Japan

The forests of the Emishi are home to wizards and warlocks –
solitary men of magic able to manipulate others’ minds, the land around them,
and even death itself. These malevolent tricksters use these powers for their
own pleasure, or in order to visit pain and sorrow on those they feel have
wronged them: they only ever act without malice when they can benefit directly
from acting against their true nature.

All wizards have 1d6+4 HD and spells as listed in the
“Powers” column. Their servants are utterly loyal and can carry messages and perform
other tasks appropriate to their nature - such as holding objects, stealing
items, scouting, and so on. Wizards have the following treasures: Textiles x 1, Jewelery
x 2, Magic x 2, Weapons x 1.

At the top of an extremely tall tree in a crude tree house – a
platform and bivouac. The wizard is able to climb up and down trees, and leap
between them, with unnatural grace and strength.

Moths. Can scatter powder in their air from their wings as they fly,
to cause the effects of a sleep, slow or stinking cloud spell. The wizard releases the moths from his
clothing and they scatter their powder over an area of a 12 yard sphere within 100 yards of the wizard's location. The
wizard has three moth swarms, each with the different spell-effect type and each of which moves at 90.

The wizard has targeted a prominent NPC in a nearby Emishi village
for his malice.

On a tiny island in a lake, just barely big enough for a clump of
trees partially concealing his hut. The wizard can swim unnaturally quickly (at 180) and breathe underwater.

Woodpeckers. 1d3+1 in number. Together they can forego making an
action to use their hammering on a tree to summon aid (as per the Animal Summoning II spell) once per
day. They must all act in unison to do this.

The wizard wants a rare magical item (pick or create one, or roll
randomly on the Magic Treasure List) and will help anyone who gets it for
him.

The wizard has no lair and roams about nomadically – he does not
sleep and wears all his possessions. He cannot be tracked and will only be
encountered randomly – unless he
chooses to be found.

Snakes. If the wizard is encountered outdoors, and is endangered,
snakes strike. This happens once: anyone the wizard perceives as a threat
within 50 yards, up to a total of 8 people, is targeted. Each must save vs
poison or be paralysed and suffer hallucinations for 1d3 days.

The wizard was recently foiled in his plans by a local prominent NPC
and will help anyone who brings that person to him dead or (preferably)
alive.

In a deep cave in a cliff face, covered in hanging ivy. The wizard
can see perfectly in the dark and is never surprised in his lair.

Owls. Familiars which bestow the wizard ‘s enemies with misfortune.
There are three owls. The first may cast Feeblemind
once per day. The second may cast Emotion
once per day. The third may cast Confusion
once per day.

In a hollow underneath a huge moss-covered boulder, accessible only
through a crack in the top. The wizard can shrink or enlarge himself three times per day.

Sparrows. A flock of tiny fluttering feathered sprites who, when
acting together, form into a swirling swarm of razor-sharp wings that tear
through flesh, bone and even steel. This acts as the equivalent of a Blade Barrier spell.

The wizard wants escorts to take him up a mountain, to an island off
the coast, or another place that is difficult to access, in order to perform
a ritual of some kind.

In a cave behind a 20-metre tall waterfall with sheer cliffs on
either side. The wizard can spider
climb at will.

Monkey. A calm, sage-like simian with malevolent eyes who provides
the wizard with a link to the world of the gods and spirits. He can cast one
spell once a day from each of the cleric and druid spell lists up to 5th
level.

The wizard senses the presence of the PCs as “strangers” and targets
them.

On a hill top above an almost-sheer slope of scree; the wizard is as
sure-of-foot as a goat and moves perfectly silently; he always surprises opponents
except on a 1 in 10.

Cicadas. These hum, buzz, whir and chitter across a radius of 30’,
causing deafness, producing silence throughout the radius, and
causing debilitating headaches which paralyse on a failed save for the duration of the song. The song is continuous but the cicadas must break for one round in every 6.

The wizard is in the midst of a struggle for territory with an animal
spirit.

In a village, Yamato fort, or other settled place. The wizard can
disguise himself perfectly and lives hiding in plain sight. He can wear other
disguises to resemble almost anyone he meets.

Flies. A swarm of 3d10 iridescent green flies which explode with blue
flame on striking one of the wizard’s enemies. This destroys the fly and does
2d8 damage, as well as igniting any flammable material within 1 yard. The fly
must successfully roll to hit (as a 1 HD monster). The wizard can summon new
flies once per month.

The wizard is in love with a nearby Emishi woman, but he wants her love to
be genuinely reciprocal.

Witch hunters or slightly more benign sorcerers or shaman could be enlisted to help unmask the vile warlock. Or just a witch hunt with many accusations, mania and torture....In pre-contact Tlingit society, this was a big job of the shaman, to find the sorcerers who were plaguing the villages, clans and personages of Aoutheat Alaska.